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It could also help to alleviate stress in animals bound for the slaughterhouse, they claim.

The discovery came when the two organisations were collaborating on how to improve the quality of coffee grains by combining coffee genes in new ways.

Tests on laboratory mice showed that the opioid peptides, which are naturally occurring biological molecules, appeared to have a longer-lasting effect on the mice than morphine itself

They studied the coffee's genome sequence and uncovered proteins that shared properties with those in humans.

'This genetic library has been extremely important for our research and we are already looking for other results with different public and private partners,' said Vinecky's research supervisor Carlos Bloch Jr.

The work is the culmination of ten year's worth of research by the teams.

It was originally patented in 2006 and published in the journal Plos One in 2012.

The team have now applied to the Brazilian government for patents for the seven proteins they have identified.

DRINKING COFFEE OFTEN CAN CUT THE RISK OF DEMENTIA, CLAIMS STUDY

For millions a strong coffee is the perfect start to the day.

But in November, new research suggested coffee could also protect against dementia.

Drinking between three and five cups a day could cut the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease by up to 20 per cent, scientists said.

Nutrition can play an important role in preserving memory and thinking skills, especially during the phase of Alzheimer's disease before symptoms of dementia occur.

This is according to a report published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, who are funded by major European coffee companies such as illycaffe, Nestlé and DE Master Blenders.

However, experts from leading charities Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's society today warned the research does not conclusively prove drinking coffee can prevent Alzheimer's, because no clinical trials have been carried out.

The number of cases of dementia is set to triple by 2050, totalling 115.4 million worldwide, and Alzheimer's disease will make up the majority of these cases, according to World Health Organisation predictions.